Mayhem's Return: The Big 12's Most Chaotic Season

After a year of relative stability in 2025 — when the Big 12 delivered its most predictable season ever — the conference is back to its chaotic roots in 2026. The Big 12, which has always been defined by its competitive balance and its willingness to surprise, has delivered the kind of early-season chaos that fans crave. BYU and Utah are firmly on top, while defending champion Texas Tech slides down the power rankings after struggling in Week 2.

Mercury News published a detailed analysis on September 14 titled 'Big 12 Power Rankings Week 3: BYU and Utah on Top (Again) as Evidence Mayhem Could Return', noting that the conference's return to unpredictability is a welcome change after the 2025 season. "The Utah schools look like the teams to beat, but there are reasons to believe mayhem could return after a one-year absence," the article read.

BYU Takes the Top Spot

BYU Cougars have emerged as the Big 12's clear No. 1 team after the first two weeks of the 2026 season. The Cougars entered the season as the conference's most improved team, with a loaded recruiting class and a new coaching staff. BYU's strong start — including a dominant win over a ranked opponent in Week 1 — has earned the Cougars the top spot in every major power ranking.

AzCentral published a report on September 13 titled 'BYU Cougars No. 1 in Big 12 Power Ranking. Texas Tech Falls.' "Defending Big 12 champion Texas Tech had topped the Big 12 power ranking. The Red Raiders struggled this week, so they have dropped. See the new No. 1," the article read.

SI.com's updated power rankings, published on September 15, placed BYU at No. 1 in the Big 12, followed by Utah at No. 2, Texas Tech at No. 3, and Arizona at No. 4. The Big 12's top tier is now dominated by the Utah schools — BYU and Utah — which have been the conference's most consistent teams in recent years.

Utah Rises to No. 2

Utah Utes have emerged as the Big 12's No. 2 team after the first two weeks. The Utes entered the season as a top-25 team, and their strong start — including a dominant win over a Group of 6 opponent in Week 1 — has earned the Utes a spot in the Big 12's top tier.

The Mercury News analysis noted that BYU and Utah are "the teams to beat" in the Big 12, with the conference's other teams struggling to keep up. The Utes' offense is led by a young quarterback who has been impressive in limited playing time, and the defense has been physical and disruptive.

CBS Sports published updated power rankings showing Texas Tech and BYU on top, with Utah falling back to the "pack" — but other outlets disagree. The Mercury News and SI.com both place Utah at No. 2, while CBS Sports places the Utes behind Texas Tech. The disagreement between outlets is a sign of the Big 12's competitive balance — no one team has dominated the conference, and the rankings are subject to debate.

Texas Tech Falls from No. 1

Defending Big 12 champion Texas Tech has struggled in the early weeks of the 2026 season, and the Red Raiders have dropped from the top of every major power ranking. Lubbock Online published a report on September 15 titled 'Should Texas Tech Fall in Big 12 Football Power Rankings?' "Texas Tech hasn't done enough to remain No. 1 in the Big 12 football power rankings," the article read.

Texas Tech's struggles in Week 2 — including a loss to a lower-ranked opponent — have raised questions about the Red Raiders' title defense. The Red Raiders entered the season as the Big 12's top team, with a proven coaching staff and a deep roster. But the early-season results have been inconsistent, and the power rankings reflect the team's struggles.

The Big 12's competitive balance means that no team has dominated the conference — even the defending champion is struggling to keep up. The conference's return to mayhem means more upsets, more competitive games, and a more unpredictable conference race.

The CFP Implications

The Big 12's return to mayhem has direct implications for the CFP. The conference's 2-2 record in Power Four matchups — as reported by the East Bay Times — carries "outsized weight" in the CFP framing. The Big 12's best teams (BYU and Utah) have strong non-conference results, which will help their CFP resumes.

CBS Sports noted that Texas Tech and BYU are "early favorites to reach the Big 12 Championship" — a prerequisite for a CFP seed. The Big 12's competitive balance means that the conference title game could feature any of the top four teams, which adds uncertainty to the CFP picture.

For CFB27 Players

The Big 12's return to mayhem has direct implications for CFB27 gameplay. The conference's competitive balance means that team ratings are more volatile — a loss to a lower-ranked opponent can drop a team's rating significantly, while a win over a ranked opponent can boost a team's rating. Players should monitor the Big 12's power rankings and consider trading assets from struggling teams (like Texas Tech) for assets from rising teams (like BYU and Utah).

The Big 12's competitive balance also means that more games are competitive, which means more players will see playing time. Backup players on Big 12 teams could see more playing time than expected, making them valuable in CFB27.